Living the Second Shift: Parenting, Partnership, and Purpose Beyond Medicine

As a medical oncologist, I’ve dedicated the past two decades to the rigorous, deeply rewarding world of cancer care—guiding patients through treatment decisions, contributing to clinical research, and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across institutions. Leaving my busy 14-year clinical practice was one of the best decisions I’ve made, creating space for personal, mental, and spiritual growth that I hadn’t fully realized I needed. My primary blog, MedOncMD, was created to address the nuances of oncology in ways that are both medically accurate and accessible. However, it has become increasingly evident to me that another dimension of my life deserves its own platform—one that captures the richness of everything beyond my day job of medicine.

This is why I’ve launched The Second Shift.

Outside the hospital, my wife and I live an intensely full life. We are raising four children, including two teenage daughters. We run a household that rarely slows down and honestly I don’t know how we keep up, but one that is intentionally centered on family, faith, growth, and contribution. Together, we manage multiple ventures: I advise on real estate investments, offer financial literacy lectures—particularly geared toward healthcare professionals—and we’ve recently undertaken a new entrepreneurial endeavor by becoming franchise owners of a wellness and aesthetics clinic under the 4EverYoung brand, travel extensively, etc.

Our lives aren’t neatly divided into “medicine” and “everything else.” They are layered, dynamic, and often full of contradictions. Over the years, we’ve had to figure out how to build systems for parenting while juggling careers, how to approach marriage with humility and curiosity after 26 years together, and how to pursue new business ventures without sacrificing the relationships that matter most. These experiences have taught me as much—if not more—than any CME course or grand rounds lecture ever could.

Add to that the vibrant dynamic between my extroverted, outgoing Punjabi North Indian wife and my more introverted (on most days) South Indian self—a dynamic that’s been a source of both energy and tension for decades. It’s only recently, through books, marriage counseling, and honest conversations with friends, that I’ve begun to truly understand and appreciate it.

The Second Shift is both a creative outlet and a personal archive. It allows me to unapologetically express myself in ways that clinical writing never could. This space gives me the freedom to explore lessons in leadership, the economics of real estate, strategies for managing time as a dual-career family, the sometimes chaotic reality of marriage and parenting, and the quiet, often-overlooked moments that truly define a meaningful life. The writing here is driven by curiosity, shaped by lived experience, and grounded in the belief that there’s value in documenting life as it’s unfolding—not just through the lens of a physician, but as a father, husband, entrepreneur, and man of hope and gratefulnes.

Ultimately, this blog is for anyone who finds themselves juggling multiple roles—those who want to pursue professional excellence without losing sight of the human experiences that make it worthwhile. I don’t pretend to have it all figured out, but I believe there is something worth sharing in the journey itself.

Welcome to The Second Shift.